Jimmy Johan: The Twist

Chapter Four

The next day, the four set out to find the airbase before it was too late. Who knew if Theodore should still be there, alive? Emily was obviously on edge, as Jimmy noticed her hands clutching the steering wheel on the ride.

"So, how long have you known Theodore?" Jimmy asked, trying to get her mind off the task ahead.

"Just for the last few weeks," Emily replied, distracted. She turned off the main road and onto a dirt path, heading towards the forest.

Jimmy smirked a little. "I've known him since I started training. He's always been a thorn in my shoe, with that superior attitude of his."

"We actually got along... really well," Emily replied, a hint of sadness creeping into her voice.

Uh oh. Jimmy quickly backpedaled. "Oh, I see." He sighed. "We may not have gotten along, but he never deserved anything like this to happen." He looked back over at Emily. "We'll save him, I promise."

Emily turned her head slightly to look at him, offering a small smile. "I know."

The sky darkened above them, signifying that thick leaves and branches were now forming a ceiling over the dirt road. Simultaneously, the once-smooth ride became bumpy, rocks and potholes appearing beneath their tires. "We'll be there soon," Emily explained to them. "ED likes the remote location."

"I'm sure they do!" Peter scoff, he and Ray getting tossed around in the turbulent backseat (lacking of seatbelts).

A few minutes latter, Emily jolted the vehicle to a stop. "Okay. This is it. Get out."

The four climbed out and grabbed their stuff out of the back before following Emily off the road into the jungle. "So, how far do we have to walk? And is there ever an actual path?" Ray asked, stepping over spiky looking plants.

Emily shook her head. "No path. And about a mile."

Ray groaned. "We are SO going to get eaten by a tiger!"

"No way, Ray," Peter teased. "Tigers don't live in Mexico... Jaguars, yes, but no tigers."

"Well, that sure comforts me," Ray shot back, then his eyes widened. "Emily, look out!"

They all halted and then notices a HUGE spiderweb with an accompanying spider stretched across the path.

"Oh no... do you think ED put it there to block our advance?" Jimmy theorized, anxious. "It must be a trap!" He gasped. "They know we're here!"

Emily groaned, took a few steps forward, GRABBED the spider out of its web, and threw it up into a different tree. "None of those idea were right, Jimmy. Come on, we need to keep moving."

Jimmy exchanged a glance with his other friends before continuing to follow Emily.

At long last, Emily told them to fall silent, and they soon came upon a large clearing. There was a short runway for landing planes, and a helicopter pad. Next to the pad was a large warehouse, and next to that was a building.

"We should split up," Emily suggested. "Jimmy, you come with me and we'll check out the main building. You two, hit the warehouse."

"Aye, aye," Peter affirmed, before scurrying off with Ray.

"She's an interesting girl," Ray whispered as they made their way around the perimeter. "But crazy. She grabbed that spider like it was nothing!"

Peter nodded. "Yeah... But Jimmy likes her."

Ray frowned. "What? He does?"

The older man chuckled. "It's obvious. I'm good at picking up on these types of things."

"Whatever." Ray rolled his eyes. "We're here."

They slipped inside one of the side doors of the warehouse, managing to avoid the two guards stationed at the door. Easy.

Inside, it was pretty dark, only dimly lit by a set of dusty hanging lights up above. There were crates, lots of them, a broken down helicopter, and...

"What on earth is that?" Peter whispered, both of them craning their necks.

It was a vehicle of some sort,  but none like they'd ever seen before. It was flat, held up by three slender supports. It's metallic sheen made it almost blend into the darkness.

"Is it some sort of plane?" Rays asked, astounded.

Peter shook his head. "No... There aren't any jets. Or wings." He was wracking his brains for any explanation.

"Ray... years ago, I was on a mission where... someone caught a glimpse of one of the ED's secret databases. One of the things was a blueprint for a machine that could literally suck nutrients out of the earth. The Triad tried to get their hands on the design and use it for profit, but the ED just wanted those plans to be destroyed."

"So... were those plans ever used?"

Peter's head turned, his gaze falling on the crates. He moved over to one and, with Ray's help, lifted the lid. Inside were a couple of large pods, cylinder shaped, filled with some sort of brown liquid.

"'1000 Liters, Uganda, 2016,'" Ray read the label on one of them. "Do you think..?"

"Those machines were definitely used," Peter finished. "But... two years ago?" He turned and leaned against the box. "Those machines were supposed to cause devestaing effects to the natural environment when used on a large scale, but no one has noticed anything like that happening, not even two years ago. It's like..."

"They were used only a few times, two years ago, but production stopped for some reason... what do the other pods say?"

Peter moved the one on top. "'1000 liters, Russia, 2016.'"

"This one is from Mexico... this one is from Lithuania..."

Peter frowned. "They've taken a sample of nutrients from every area on Earth."

"Enjoying our stuff, guys?

Ray and Peter whirled around to see three guards surrounding them, pointing rifles at their heads.

"Hands up..."

Moments later, they were handcuffed and escorted into the other buidling, where Jimmy and Emily had already been caught. Peter and Ray were roughly pushed into them. "Did you at least find something good?" Jimmy asked.

"Oh, you have no idea," Ray muttered, earning himself a swat in the head.

"Well well well, more PSA goons," someone sneered behind them. They turned and saw a man standing there. He was tall, impossibly tall, with slick  grey hair and a scar running down through one of his glassy white eyes.

Peter's face contorted into one of rage. "Captain Osborne!" He lunged forward to attack, but two guards restrained him.

Jimmy and Ray exchanged a glance. They had no idea who this guy was, but obviously Peter hated him.

Osborne chuckled. "That's old news, buddy," he said. "They call me DOO now."

"DOO? That's a dumb name," Jimmy muttered. DOO suddenly pulled out a knife and held it to Jimmy's throat. "Say that again, I dare you!"

Jimmy said nothing, his eyes wide.

DOO snickered and pulled back. "That's what I thought. Drug them, we don't want them to see the inside of our ship!"

Emily screamed as one of the guards injected her with something. "Jimmy!"

Jimmy struggled, but it was no use. There was a harsh prick in his neck, and his surroundings faded into a dark pit.